Issued 16.04.2000

Church in distress

What happened to Jesus will also happen to His Church. Before Jesus was resurrected He suffered and died. It is enough for the Church that it has the same destiny as He who is its head. Emperor Nero faked Christians guilty of the fire of Rome. In the same way it will be done to the Church of today by the world's government that will soon take power. At first God's people will be met with world's hate then the world will be met by God's wrath. The Church will die, but it will rise up as Jesus.

Dangerous believers
A great catastrophe will happen very soon. The believers of Jesus will be blamed in the same way as the emperor of Rome, Nero, put the blame on Christians for the great fire of Rome though he himself obviously set the town on fire. That catastrophe made Christians "the enemies of the empire". Similar persecution will happen again at the time of the end.People, who will blame Christians, will themselves explode the bomb though they say that the fanatics of Jesus did it. Media will tell about trials against believers. In every country laws restricting religious freedom will be prescribed.

Since the millennium parties it is more often mentioned in media, how believers are dangerous to the security of the world. They speak as if the believers themselves intended to arrange the end of the world. They don't want to see that every follower of Jesus is a pacifist and loves all people. This world did the same thing to Jesus. He went around and did only good things, not evil ones at all, and yet they said that He is dangerous and He must be killed.

Greater persecution as usually
This world has always hated followers of Jesus. "In facts, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2Tim3:12 At the time of the end there is however a particular persecution, which is the world-wide war against Christians. Congregations will be destroyed and dispersed. "This horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them." Dan.7:21 "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them." Rev.13:7
It is good to every believer to understand that this will happen according to the plan of God. Then he can as calmly as Jesus pass through his own suffering path. He can say to his judge like Jesus: "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above."

Jesus predicted the destiny of the Church
One of the most essential teachings of Jesus is the fact that His own gets the same treatment from the world as He. It is said many times in the Bible and extremely clearly. However many cannot see it. They believe that the resurrection of the Church of Jesus happens without preceding suffering or persecution. They have been blinded by the same human mind that blinded Jews to see Jesus as the Messiah. The same human thinking made Peter to rebuke Jesus, when He started to tell to His disciples that He had to suffer and die. Motivated by the same attitudes some teachers of the Bible believe that Church will be caught up from here without preceding distress and persecution.

"All these are the beginning of birth-pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." Matth.24:8-9
"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved... A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master." Matth.10:22-25 Is it enough for you to be like Jesus?

All nations get a testimony through persecution
It is clear that the Church doesn't suffer for the same reason as Jesus. He suffered to atone our sins, but the Church suffers for giving the testimony of the gospel to the dying world. After Jesus had said about the persecution He says: "But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matth.24:13-14 The fact that many followers of Jesus will stand firm to the end will witness for the gospel to all nations.

The testimony of the believers will be televised from courtrooms to all over the world. "They will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them." Luke 21:12-13 At that time every person on the earth will make his choice that resolves his relationship with Jesus.

Waiting for the Kingdom of Jesus
Jesus urged His own to watch and pray when we wait for the appearance of God's Kingdom. The saints of all ages have longed for the return of Jesus, because a righteous heart doesn't feel at home in the sinful world. This longing cannot be removed by the discovery that the coming of Jesus is not yet possible.

It is wrong to say that His coming could happen at any moment, because the Bible informs many things, which must be fulfilled before Jesus is able to come. The full number of believers must be saved (Rom.11:25), renegades must have become completely wicked (2Thess.2:3, Dan.8:23) and the number of martyrs that have been killed for Jesus must be completed (Rev.6:11).

We can prepare for the coming of Jesus by dedicating our hearts to God so that we are ready at any moment to die in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Church is now in Gethsemane
Jesus prepared for the battle of Calvary by praying in Gethsemane. He prayed: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42 While Jesus was praying Peter was sleeping with the sword. In the same way some Christians now are preparing for a persecution with weapons while some others dedicate their hearts to God so that they are ready to give up everything for Jesus.

Backsliders are preparing destruction of the Church
Judas arranged the arresting of Jesus. In the same way it will be also now. "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." Matth.24:10 The renegades will arrange everything. Because Antichrist is a renegade he exactly knows, as did Judas, what kind of life churches are leading. "With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him." Dan.11:32

Resurrection of the Church
Jesus enumerates many things as the answer to the question: "When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Matt.24:3-31
They are: a deception, messages of wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, persecution, an abomination of God's temple, fearful events from heaven, the sun and the moon will be darkened and the asteroids will fall from the sky. "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." Matth.24:31

Also you are His elect, if His grace does for you. If you choose humbleness before Him, His grace will elect you.